Washing machine



Aug, 2 1932 1.. Q. SAUNDERS WASHING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 000000000000 0 o o o 0 00000000000 000000000000 0 o o o o 000000000000 Aug, 2 1932,

1.. O. SAUNDERS WASHING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 ieeasle PATsr LESLIE OAKLEY SAUNDERS, OF HAMPTON WICK,'ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO B. VERNON LIMITED, 01E LONDON, ENGLAND WASHING MAGHIN E Application filed Julie 13, 1930, Serial No. 460,936, and in Great Britain June 18, 1929 The present invention has for its principal object to provide an improved construction of washing machine of the kind specified.

According to the present invention, the rotatable basket or tray is provided with' a removable cover plate adapted to engage the basket or tray so as positively to rotate the same and having on its upper side suitably disposed vanes against which the hot liquid is directed from the nozzles to effect rotation of the basket or tray, such cover plate being perforated so that after the liquid has acted upon the vanes it may flow into the basket or tray and be then caused to pass through the clothes or: the like therein by centrifugal action. By the provision of vanes upon the removable cover plate, the rotation of the basket or tray is effected in a more eflicient manner than in the known construction wherein the jets act directly upon the clothes or the like in the basket or tray.

The invention is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating one construction of washing machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 with the lid of the machine removed; and V Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of a modified construction of the partition separating the main compartment from the lower liquid compartment.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one construction and with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying diagrami'natic drawings, the improved washing machine comprises a receptacle 1 of cylindrical, tapered or other suitable shape, such receptacle having at or near its lower portion an inwardly extending flange 2 for the support of a saucer-like partition 3. The receptacle 1 communicates through perforations l in the partition 3 with a lower liquid-containing compartment 5 provided with a draw-off pipe connection 6 and cook 7 he receptacle 1 is fitted at its upper end with an outwardly extending flanged ring 8 by which the receptacle is suspended within an outer jacket 9 which is open at the bottom and is fitted with legs 10 adapted to sup port the machine at a suitable height above the ground. A gas burner 11 or other hea ing device is provided beneath the liquid compartment 5, a hole 12 being provided in the jacket 9, if necessary, for the purpose of ignition. Within the receptacle 1 a perforated basket 13 is mounted so as to rotate freely upon a vertical axis. For this purpose the bottom of the basket, which is preferably of conical formation, is fitted with a central pin 14 extending through a central hole in the partition 3 and bearing upon a glass 'disc'15 carried in a cup 16 screwed on to a depending boss or flange 17 on'the partition 3, while at its upper end the basket 13 is provided with a removable cover plate 18 having a central boss 19 provided with-an upwardly extending pin 20 engaging in a bearing member 21 carried by a bridge'piece 22 extending diametrically across the receptacle 1 and fitting into slots 8a in the flanged ring 8. The cover plate 18 is provided with upstanding radial. vanes 23 and at the underside with a pair of pins 24 adapted to engage holes in an inwardly extending flange 25 at the top of the basket 13, One or more pipes 26 but one such being illustrated for convenience or are arranged to extend upwardly in the annular space between the jacket 9 and thereceptacle 1, each pipe 26 communicating at its lower end with the lower liquid compartment 5 and at itsupper end extending inwardly through the wall of the receptacle 1 and terminating in a nozzle 27 arranged to direct liquid issuing-therefrom against the vanes 23 in such mannerias to cause rotation of the basket 13. The receptacle 1 is formed with an outlet 29 at or adjacent the top for the exit of steam which passes through a common outlet connection 30 together with the combustion gases from the gas 'or other burner 11. As shown in Figure 2, the cover plate 18 of thebasket 13 is formed with perforations 31 through which the hot liquid, after impinging upon the vanes 23, passes into the interior of the basket 13. i 7

In order to ensure a more definite circulation of the liquid by thermal action, the partition 3 may be fitted on its underside with a number of short channel members or half tubes 32 soldered in position so as to extend preferably radially beneath each of the perforations at in the partition, such members 32 causing the heated liquid to pass outwardly to the pipe 26 and preventing any substantial amount of the heated liquid from passing upwards from the lower liquid compartment into the main receptacle 1. The pipe 26 may be arranged to extend upwardly within the receptacle 1.

In operation, the machine is filled with the requisite quantity of water and the clothes or the like are inserted into the basket 13. The gas burner 11, or other source of heat, is turned on and as soon as the water boils it will circulate from the lower liquid compartment 5 up the pipe 26 and thence issue in the form of a tangential jet from the nozzle 27. The jet of water acting on the vanes 23 imparts rotary motion to the basket 13, the water, after impinging: on the vanes 23, passing through the perforations 31 in the cover plate 18 into the basket 13, or entering the basket through perforations in the side wall thereof. The clothes or the like in the hasket are caused by centrifugal action to form a lining around the interior of the basket and Water, by such centrifugal action, is forced out through the clothes and through perforations in the wall of the basket and then passes down the annular space outside the basket through the holes 4 in the partition 3 into the lower compartment 5 for re-circulation.

Should the machine be required for wash ing articles which must not be boiled, a crank handle 33 is provided, such handle being adapted to engage a squared extension 34 of the pin passing through a hole in the lid 35 of the machine.

The lid 35 may be provided with a glass panel enabling the contents of the machine to be inspected during the washing process without removing the lid or interfering with the operation of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine including a receptacle divided into upper and lower compartments, a basket rotatably mounted in the upper compartment, a cover plate for the basket, a plurality of radial vanes carried by the cover plate, means for heating liquid in the lower compartment of the receptacle, a pipe leading from the lower compartment and terminating as a jet above the cover plate, the jet being arranged to direct the heated water against the vanes to compel rotation of the basket, means for admitting water delivered by said pipes to the interior of the basket, means establishing communication between the compartments Of the receptacle, and battle means to prevent flow of water from the lower compartment directly to the upper compartment.

2. A washing machine including a receptacle, a partition removably supported in means for admitting the water delivered by the jet to the interior of the basket, the partition being formed with openings to establish direct communication between the upper and lower compartments, and battle means carried by the partition spaced from and i overlying the openings to prevent direct flow of the water from the lower compartment to the upper compartment.

LESLIE OAKLEY SAUNDERS 

